Ahead of Veteran’s Day, Subaru of Sterling (Virginia, USA) presented a new 2025 Subaru Forester to US Navy SEAL veteran, Westly “West” Baldwin, for his outstanding military service and ongoing drive to help fellow veterans adjust to the challenges of post-combat life.
Lithia & Driveway partners with ChaseBank and the Military Warriors Support Foundation to honor local military heroes with free vehicles and one year of family and financial mentoring to help them reduce debt. West, who is battling terminal lung cancer, said, “The free vehicle from the caring people of Chase, Subaru, Lithia & Driveway, and the Military Warrior Support Foundation is like a perfectly timed resupply in the heat of combat.”
West’s Story
In 1999, West joined the US Navy initially serving as a hospital corpsman and then as a member of the SEAL Team 3, and later, as a SEAL instructor. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, West served in Iraq. West shared that he and several friends had fought in the Battle of Ramadi during the Global War on Terrorism in 2006. He honored his friends by stating their individual names and then confirmed that each one had died young.
For the past three years, West has been battling ALK-positive—a rare, non-smoker lung cancer that is increasing among young people. West said during his years of service in Iraq, he was exposed to toxins from burn pits, which he attributes to his diagnosis. By sharing his story,West hopes others learn about the disease and take action sooner than he did.
West retired from the military in 2012 as a recipient of a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat Valor, and a Purple Heart.
West & Jaime
West met his wife, Jaime, in high school and they have been happily married for 20 years. Today, they make their home in Michigan where they enjoy exploring the outdoors, fishing, shooting, and photography. West remains committed to expanding his medic skills to help save lives and to help others overcome the physical and emotional challenges of military service.
Thank You to Leaders & Volunteers
• Subaru of Sterling’s General Manager, Megan McDuffie, who spoke at the event’s luncheon, expressed our gratitude to West for his service and welcomed him and Jaime into the Subaru Family.
• Suzanne Xu, Multi-Store Marketing Manager, and Angela Giscombe, Senior Manager of People & Culture, were also instrumental in the day’s success—embodying our core value, Take Personal Ownership, to make West and Jaime’s day memorable.
